Riot Games Embroiled in SAG-AFTRA Dispute Over Voice Actor Strike

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has announced that it is adding Riot Games' League of Legends to the list of struck games, meaning that union voice actors currently working on the game must cease their involvement. Additionally, SAG-AFTRA is filing an unfair labor practice charge against sound company Formosa Interactive, alleging an attempt to circumvent the ongoing strike.

Uncovering the Complexities of the Video Game Voice Actor Strike

The Ongoing Negotiations and Sticking Points

More than 2,500 video game performers went on strike in late July, after nearly two years of negotiations with major video game companies. The primary sticking point in these negotiations appears to be related to artificial intelligence protections, though the League of Legends strike is unrelated to AI. Instead, SAG-AFTRA has alleged that Formosa Interactive attempted to "cancel" one of its struck video games shortly after the start of the strike and then tried to transfer the game to a "shell company" in order to hire non-union actors.

Formosa Interactive's Alleged Attempts to Circumvent the Strike

In the unfair labor charge obtained by Polygon, SAG-AFTRA provided further details on the allegations against Formosa Interactive. The union claims that Formosa transferred work to a company called Formosa Ocean Post, which is not signed to the Interactive Media Agreement. Both Formosa Interactive and Formosa Ocean Post share the same mailing address in California, with Formosa Ocean Post being registered a year after Formosa Interactive. Additionally, SAG-AFTRA alleges that Formosa Interactive required "overly broad confidentiality provisions" in the casting notices for these non-union roles.

The Impact on League of Legends

League of Legends, developed and published by Riot Games, is one of Formosa Interactive's biggest ongoing clients. While Riot Games is not directly involved in the dispute, the game has now been added to the list of struck titles, meaning that union voice actors can no longer work on it. This could impact future updates, such as new character voice lines and cinematics, as the strike continues.

Riot Games' Response and Clarification

In a statement provided to Polygon, a League of Legends representative stated that the game has "nothing to do with the complaint mentioned in SAG-AFTRA's press release." The representative further clarified that League of Legends has only ever asked Formosa to engage with union performers in the United States and has never suggested doing otherwise. Additionally, Riot Games has never asked Formosa to cancel a game that has been registered.

The Potential Impact on Upcoming Events

The League of Legends World Championship 2024 is slated to start on Wednesday, and while voice actors are rarely involved in the event, any plans to include them would be impacted by the strike. The actors would no longer be able to participate while abiding by the strike rules.In conclusion, the ongoing dispute between SAG-AFTRA and the video game industry has now extended to Riot Games' League of Legends, with the union alleging that Formosa Interactive attempted to circumvent the strike. The impact of this development remains to be seen, but it highlights the complexities and challenges facing the video game voice acting community in their fight for better working conditions and protections.